I have always been one of those people who loves to get out into the world and talk with other people, but a few years ago, I realized that I had to do something about my smile. My teeth were yellow and unattractive, and it was really discouraging to see how much different my smile was. I knew that I needed to get my teeth fixed, so I started working with a professional dentist to make things right. Within a few short months, my smile was completely transformed, and I knew that I owed it all to my dental professional. Check out this blog for more information about working with a dentist.

Working With A Great Dentist

What Can Happen If You Don't Get Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

3 February 2016

Harper Hughes

For most individuals, wisdom teeth begin developing around ages 17 and 21. Not everyone will receive their wisdom teeth. Some individuals experience full eruption of the wisdom teeth with no complications while others experience serious pain, swelling and other complications from the arrival of the wisdom teeth. If you decide to leave yours alone and not have them extracted, here's what can happen:

1. Swelling and Infection of the Gums.

It isn't uncommon for wisdom teeth to not fully develop and come out all the way. As a result partially erupted wisdom teeth can result in inflammation of the gums and severe pain. When the tooth is only partially out, it can make it difficult to effectively clean the area. This creates irritation and an environment for bacteria to grow, which can infect the area. This condition is known as pericoronitis.

If tis severe enough, you could experience swelling and pain from in your cheeks and even your neck. If the swelling and pain is not severe, you can usually treat it by swishing warm salt water around in your mouth. However, if that doesn't help or you are experiencing continued pain and swelling, contact your dentist. It may be time to have the extraction.

2. Shifting of Your Teeth.

As wisdom teeth begin to grow, it will become apparent that there isn't a lot of room in your mouth for them to erupt and fully develop as additional teeth in the mouth. As a result, the wisdom teeth will begin to cause your other teeth to shift in an attempt to make room for them to grow. Unfortunately, the jaw is typically too small for the teeth to come in nice and straight, which leads to the wisdom teeth growing at an angle and pushing against your other teeth. This is what essentially leads to the misalignment and shifting of the teeth and is known as impacted wisdom teeth.

3. Deterioration of the Jaw Bone.

The longer that impacted wisdom teeth are left in the mouth, the more likely that they will develop an infection. When an infection develops, it will spread to the surrounding area, including the tooth's root and jaw bone. When this happens, the infection will start eating away at the bone. If the infection becomes so severe that cysts are formed, bone loss can become more severe.

While there are complications with not getting your wisdom teeth removed, there are also certain risks involved with wisdom tooth extraction. Speak to a dentist (such as Hart Dayton DMD) about the pros and cons of each so that you can make a well-informed decision whether to go through with the surgery at this time.